


The tale of cafe owner Levi, and scientist Hange

by LycheeRambutan, roguetwo



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Female Hange Zoë, Jean Kirstein in a minor role, Kenny Ackerman mentioned many times, Mikasa Ackerman & Levi Are Related, Nanaba in a speaking role, levihan - Freeform, levihanweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 07:02:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14373441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LycheeRambutan/pseuds/LycheeRambutan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguetwo/pseuds/roguetwo
Summary: Levi was used to being left behind. His mother died, and Kenny took him in. But he left him, came back and left so often, that Levi thought of it as normal as breathing. Growing up, his friends Isabel and Farlan, soon left for studies. In adulthood, his brotp Erwin moved away when he got married. But when Hange wanted to leave, it made Levi thought long and hard. But he was only a friend to Hange, he had no right to stop Hange's future from happening. Another person leaving him, and so the cycle continued. Levi didn't want to be alone this time around.





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to @roguetwo aka @myheartisarollingthunder (Tumblr) for betaing and adding some bits to the story here. Hope you all enjoy this.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hange and Levi.

Hange could be rampant when her emotions override logic. This morning she was so excited that one of her major experiments had shown results, that she decided to treat everyone at Cravat Cafe. But… she ordered without checking whether she had brought along her wallet. Luckily the cafe was owned by none other than her best friend, Levi.

 

“Oh my goodness, I left my wallet in Nanaba’s car when she dropped me here. I should call her and make her return my wallet before you punch it in,” she exclaimed as her fingers typed furiously on her phone. Hange needed to do act fast before Levi ate her or something.

 

Petra came up from behind and nudged Hange, “you forgot your wallet again senpai?”

 

Hange nodded and watched as Petra took out her wallet and handed Hange a hundred dollar note, “This should cover part of it.”

 

Levi sighed and reached for his wallet in his pocket. Actually, he was about to go out when Hange arrived at his cafe. He thought that it would be a brief  updating session, but when Hange got her good results and decided to treat everyone, he had to delay his departure to help his staff cope with the sudden increase in demand. He took out his debit card and slapped it on the cashier table, for Jean who was cashier of the day.  
  
“I think we already have it covered Miss Ral, thank you,” Jean explained to them

 

Petra looked at Hange, who nodded at her.

 

Hange patted Petra on the back. “Thanks Petra. Levi saved my day, as usual.”

 

Petra smiled at them, and placed the note back in her wallet. She returned back to her seat, where the rest of Hange’s colleagues were seated. Hange waved to the others to show them that everything was okay. Hange came in with them but she usually sat at the counter so she could speak to Levi, who always listen to whatever she wanted to rant about.

  
Jean punched in the order and swiped Levi’s card for payment. Jean placed the original receipt in a drawer under the counter, and reprinted a copy receipt from the cashier machine.

 

“Hange-san, this one’s your copy,” Jean called, as he handed the receipt copy over the counter to Hange. It wasn’t the first time Hange had forgotten her wallet, and Jean was already well versed in these kinds of things. Some customers do forgot their wallet and they do keep tabs for regular customers.

 

Hange raised her eyebrows and laughed when she saw the amount. She jumped off her high stool to peek at Levi over the coffee machines. “I’ll pay you back promptly Vi. There’ll be lots of fund coming in and maybe a raise for everyone at the lab.”

 

“Ok,” was all Levi said. Hange always pay back, and always with tips for Levi’s on duty staff.  
  
Levi continued to prepare the rest of the orders and Hange went back to sit on her stool. He knew everyone from the lab where Hange worked because since two years ago, they frequented his cafe on alternate days for lunch and tea. They were great people, and Levi had became sort of friends with them after so many lunch visits. He was glad that they had successes in their work, knowing that their work had been only seen slow progress until today. And then he got an idea.  
  
“When those funds really do come in, invite everyone and I’ll treat them to a buffet spread.”

 

“Really?” Hange asked. It was rare for Levi to treat everyone like that, especially when they're all her friends to begin with. Well, Mike and Oluo took great interest in Levi, so her friends were now his friends too, she guessed.

 

“I’ll tell them that,” Hange replied happily to the back of Levi’s dark haired head as he worked in his kitchen. “Well, after the grants are sorted and all. Thanks Levi, that is a nice gesture.”

 

Hange beamed, she knew Levi had a soft spot for his friend's success. But unlike her who always found the smallest reason to celebrate, Levi celebrated things only when real success arrive. Hange was the spur of the moment type of person, while Levi always go for the bigger picture.  
  
“Well, since the bills settled, I’ll text Nanaba to join me for lunch here. Gotta support my fave in their time of need,” Hange nodded.

 

This time Levi turned around and sighed at Hange. They then both sighed again together as Jean looked at all of them and nodded. He then gathered all the drinks Levi had made and went out to call their respective owners.

 

Businesses were having a hard time due to the increase of petrol and electricity prices. Levi’s coffee shop managed to survive because he was meticulous in his planning and he took care of his employees. His employees were mostly university students and fresh graduates, comprising of Jean, his cousin Mikasa, Sasha, Connie, Floch, Marlowe and Hitch who were very loyal to him. Levi appreciated his current employees for their loyalty and treated them more than as employees.

 

“I think I'm going to spend some time at the bookstore next block. See you all at lunch,” Hange said as she slipped on her sandals and headed to the exit.

 

Levi turned around as he heard the unmistakable sound of slippers slapping the marble tile. “You wore that to the lab this morning?” he asked, judgingly.

 

“Yup,” Hange said as she waited for her favourite expression on Levi's face to appear.

 

Levi cringed, and Hange cackled at his evident judgemental expression. She then exited the cafe calling out to her friends, and the other patrons, “Enjoy your drinks.”

 

Hange left without noticing a series of playful taunts from her friends,

 

“Thanks Hange! You should pay for our coffee everyday.”

“Can I have seconds? Oluo spilled mine”

“Good luck with work! Moblit sure needs one!”

 

Levi didn’t watch Hange leave. It was an almost daily occurrence. He knew she’ll be back for lunch, and definitely the next day, and maybe the day after.

 

In Levi’s life, Hange’s presence was something he didn’t take for granted. Though people who view their friendship must have thought that he would be annoyed by her sometimes silly antics, he was never truly annoyed by her. In fact, he was thankful that he became one of his close friends.

 

Yes, his friend because when she left for someplace else he would miss her as that, and nothing more.

 

* * *

 

 

**Throwback to twenty five years ago**

 

_Levi watched the silhouette of Kenny in his bowler hat and trench coat left the building. He wanted to watch until the image disappeared from the door but the lady beside him tugged on his forearm to catch his attention._

_“Are you ready to meet your siblings?” she asked._

_Levi looked up at the woman and frowned, but he remembered Kenny’s words and immediately nodded. Kenny had told him a million times before they came here, to just follow whatever they say, and whatever they told him to do, because it was for his own good. Kenny said he would come back for Levi when he was richer and able to take better care of Levi. So until that time arrive, Levi had to follow whatever the house rules and the elders say. Levi was eight and the Sunny Sunshine Children Home became his new home._

 

* * *

 

 

A year passed, and then two, then three. Every year at the home Levi watched kids younger than him at the home being taken away. _Where was Kenny,_ Levi thought. _Will he come to take me too? Did he miss me? Is he rich now?_ Of course, Levi did not know what it meant to be rich at that age. He was fine eating from a steel tray and sleeping on a thin mattress with a blanket. The kids played well with him and if they don't, the matron would always be around to control everyone into submission. He never had a taste of the luxurious life and often wondered what it meant to be rich.

 

Levi’s mum died when he was six years old and Kenny took him in, He went to school during the day and in the evenings he would stay in a child care center. Kenny would fetch him on a motorcycle when the sun was low on the horizon and fed him at a local diner before going home. After he did his homework Kenny sent him off to sleep in their one bedroom apartment. The following year, he entered an elementary school. After school, Kenny sent him to stay with a knitting and smoking grandmother whose house was not far from their dilapidated apartment. Levi would often fell asleep in the evening while waiting for Kenny, and woke up to find himself lying on his own bed at him. When he came out, he saw Kenny in the living room sleeping on a mattress.

 

When it was Father’s day celebration at school, Kenny declined to come to his school because he claimed that, “I am not fit to be no one’s father, and not even yours.”

 

Levi was at the children's home for about five years. Right after he turned twelve, Kenny finally came to fetch him. Levi noticed that Kenny looked cleaner and dressed better. He looked good like one of the actors in dramas Levi had to watch with the other kids in the evenings. The dramas which the matron forced him to watch saying that it built character.

 

After that, life didn’t change much. Kenny sent him to a nearby school. When Levi returned home the first day, Kenny was nowhere and he found himself home alone. He didn't need to have a babysitter anymore.

 

At first, Levi was clueless of what to do beyond eating and watching television. Kenny’s home was larger and more furnished than the children’s home. But after years of living at an orphanage and doing chores, Levi began noticing things needing attention in his new house. And soon he started to take care of maintaining the house.  
  
Levi also realized that Kenny was only home in the mornings. Levi never knew where Kenny went during the evenings and nights. He tried his best never to ask Kenny about it. One day, Kenny left him a huge sum of money and a blade. There was also a note telling him to go buy whatever he wanted, or he could also join the new neighbourhood’s taekwondo class. The instructor was Kenny’s friend. Levi decided to join the class instead of spending the money. He started his lessons, and got to know a pair of cousins who became his eager kouhais. They called him senpai.

 

At school he was cordial with his classmates. But he was bullied once for being small, though he fended them off with his martial art skills. When confronted by the teachers, he told them that he was defending himself, and his teacher believed him. All because he always get good grades, and being good in studies meant that he was honest, at least to the teachers.  
  
_“Excellent students don’t have time to play around”_ , he overheard his teachers claimed. Levi didn’t care about their assumptions, he only cared that the bullies left him alone.  
  
Levi had some admirers in school who claimed that he was cute and tried to ask him to junior prom, but he was not interested. He did go to some parties, with Farlan and Isabel, his kouhai from taekwondo.

 

Sometimes Levi wished that Kenny made time for him, as Farlan’s and Isabel’s fathers did for them. Levi couldn’t help thinking whether he should give Kenny something for Father’s day, buy something with all the extra money he saved from his pocket money. Even though it was all Kenny’s money, Levi thought it was the thought that counted. But he never got to do it anyway. Instead he restocked their kitchen with premium tea, which he could see Kenny enjoy drinking during his rare times at home.

 

Isabel and Farlan left Levi when they turned sixteen and seventeen, to study at a State University. So a few months later when Levi was twenty he realized that his life was going nowhere. He had a nice office job in  town, and volunteered plenty of times at the local children’s home but decided that he needed something long term for his future. So he moved out, and Kenny gave him a sum of money as starters, and also a mobile phone. When he thought about calling Kenny to tell the old guy that he found a rented house and a job, he realized that he could never make the call. Kenny never gave Levi his phone number, and Levi was too busy  to visit home and they soon lost contact.

 

And that was his story. Not long after he started getting comfortable in his new city, he befriended Erwin Smith But Erwin was no longer in town too, he now lived with his wife Marie in Shanghai. Levi missed him, Erwin was among his first friend here. They bonded through time of need, and Erwin had supported him in his early business venture. But Levi had accepted that everyone he cared for will eventually leave him and that all he could do was appreciate their presence while he still can.


	2. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hange's feelings pertaining to Levi.  
> Verdict : A little more than just her friend.

“How the hell did you get yourself out of the situation for the nth time Hange?” Nanaba exclaimed as she passed Hange’s wallet to her.

 

“I guess it was winner’s luck?” Hange said as she grabbed the wallet, and stuffed the receipt copy Jean had given her earlier in it.

 

“You’re lucky it was not some random cafe like last time.” Nanaba jabbed her finger on Hange’s shoulder to remind her of her forgetful behaviour.  “Looks like I’m going to knit Levi a sweater for Christmas this year. Oh, and it’s his birthday too isn’t it?” Nanaba said as her eyes looked dreamy thinking of the sweater patterns she would choose for Levi.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Hange swatted her finger away. “I just wanted to share the happiness with everyone. You know, make their day?”

 

It was habit for Nanaba to knit sweaters for people she felt grateful of. This time for taking care  of Hange.

 

“At the expense bankrupting his cafe? You already owe him a lot Hans.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Hange lamented.

 

Nanaba flicked Hange’s ear as her friend’s ear turned red. “Oh my, you are turning red, you do like troubling him, you like him! And this time it isn’t my imagination.”

 

“What? I go to his cafe all the time ok, but I didn’t know that we were getting some kind of success worth celebrating this morning. I didn't go out of my way to  trouble him!”

 

“Whatever Hange,” Nanaba rolled her eyes and twisted Hange's earlobe.

 

“It’s not like he bought the drinks from his own pockets. I still have to pay.” Hange argued, she was blushing madly now.

 

“I bet he used the money meant for a new cafe outlet.” Nanaba stroked her chin as if she was thinking. “Didn’t he tell you he was thinking of opening another store a few blocks away from here. Mike told me that Erwin put some money in the new shop.”

 

Hange blinked and looked straight at Nanaba, “Seriously, if I had known that, I would have asked him whether it was truly ok for him to pay for the coffee. I’m so clueless.” Hanji rubbed the back of her neck. “How did you know, anyway?”

 

“Well, Erwin and Mike knew each other since they were kids. I guess, Mike overhead his mother talking to Erwin's mother or something,” Nanaba shrugged.

 

“Looks like I have to pay my tab fast. Come on, Nanaba. Let’s meet Levi now.” Hange dragged Nanaba without any consideration.

 

“Levi is in it for a surprise.” Nanaba mumbled. Hange smiled and pulled her friend’s arm all the way to Levi’s cafe.

 

Unfortunately, when they arrived, Levi was already gone. Hange figured that she would catch him later after work because she had to rush back to the lab after lunch. Enough with wasting time, she needed to go back to work. And Levi will return from wherever he's heading anyway.

* * *

 

“Have you told Levi that when the grants coming, you’ll be moving to Rosewood for a few years?” Nanaba asked a sullen Hange on the way back to the office.

 

“Not yet,” Hange said. She was taken aback by Nanaba’s sudden question.

 

“Maybe we can have a get together at my house and have a farewell party, it'll be great. But you must tell him way before that,” Nanaba stressed.

 

“He’s one of a kind,” Hange admitted as her eyes cast downwards. “I am going to miss him.”

 

“He’s Levi.” Nanaba pointed out, trying to cheer her friend. “Anyone who crosses path with him would miss the infamous Mr. Clean Freak. Even Erwin vowed to return someday to open a cafe with his friend.”

 

“Nanaba take care of Levi when I leave, I mean have lunches at his cafe often. I hope when I leave town you all won’t stop coming to his cafe.”

 

“You mean, take care of him for you?” Nanaba teased.

 

“I think I am one of his closest friends whom he cared enough to manhandle, despite his Clean Freak status,” Hange said with her fingers doing the quotation mark.

 

“That one time he force bathe you in your house during your surprise birthday party?”

 

Hange blushed madly, “Shit, that was downright embarrassing, being plunged into the bathtub in full clothing.”

 

“What? You want Levi to have you naked?”

 

“He wouldn’t want that, right?”

 

Nanaba sighed, “Are you finally going to confess now, that you like him more than a friend?”

 

“It’s complicated Nana, and I’m leaving soon.”

 

“Well, that’s one thing. Should I treat this as a confession?” Nanaba asked, eyes twinkling with hope.

 

“Ok, I admit that I do have feelings for Levi, especially now that I won’t be seeing him everyday, or most days.”

 

“Is it love?” Nanaba asked.

 

“Maybe, love between friends?”

 

“For now, but I hope it gets somewhere. After all the denial, thank you for telling me this. But, it’s your call Hange, it’s up to you to tell him how you feel.” Nanaba liked what Hange said, but she realized that love can’t be forced. She will support Hange in whatever she decided to do.

 

“Telling him at the farewell party is evil, if he has feelings for you he might hate you for it. Even if he is only a friend to you it is inappropriate to tell him that late, tell him properly. You have a few weekends left before you leave. Take him out to a proper dinner. Maybe a date?”

 

“I’ll think about the dinner part, but I will surely tell him before the party.”

 

“That’s my girl,” Nanaba smiled.

 

Hange smiled as her mind planned what to say to Levi. She hoped that it will be a breeze.

 

Not.


	3. You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please go, but I'll come after you. It's not a goodbye.

“Thanks for agreeing to have dinner with me, Levi.” Hange said. She was dressed in her best - a comfortable gray cashmere sweater, dark jeans and her well worn suede boots. On her right wrist was her heirloom watch and on her left wrist, the charmbracelet she always had as a kid. Only that it was lengthened with her growth in age.

 

“Is this a thank you for being a good friend?” Levi asked. He was wearing a gray blazer which matched Hange’s sweater and dark jeans with polished black shoes. Hange had marvelled at the shiny shoes Levi wore, wondering whether they were new. 

 

“Didn’t expect you to match me, considering that you think of me as an abnormal,” Hange laughed as she attempted to make a joke.

 

“That was lame,” Levi frowned but his lips lifted to the smallest of smirk.

 

Hange was fighting the blush on her face and diverted her attention to the menu, “Let’s take a look at the menu and order, I am starving.”

 

“No wonder you didn’t show up at the cafe today,” he asked as he browsed his menu. “Are you saving to fill up for dinner?” 

 

“Definitely, Nanaba said the food is delicious.” she responded cheerfully. 

 

“Waiter,” Levi called as a waiter walked by them.

 

The air was turning warm for Hange as she stumbled in her mind as to how she should tell Levi about her eventual departure.

 

* * *

 

**  
** Dinner was normal, as Levi was holding himself back from making poop jokes over dinner. Hange, on the other hand, was preoccupied with the thought of breaking the news to Levi. She still hadn’t thought of a way to tell him, and time was ticking.

 

Despite the nervousness, they managed to eat everything served to them, probably to avoid speaking to each other. When they finished, Hange called for their tab, waving off her debit card to Levi, who rolled his eyes at her. She paid and they left the restaurant together.

 

“Can you walk me home, Levi?” Hange asked. They had each taken a taxi there since the restaurant was not that far from Hange’s home and Levi’s cafe. 

 

“Sure, let’s go,” Levi agreed.

 

They talked about the food and the warm night. They walked until they reach a nice view of the buildings before them. Both paused and admired the cityscape. People were moving around to get to dinner places. The city was big but tonight it wasn't that busy.

 

“If I had a tank top on I might take off this sweater already, didn't think it could get this esrm,” Hange said.

 

“I’m cold,” Levi rubbed his palms together.

 

“Let me hold your hands and keep it warm,” Hange offered honestly. She did it all the time with her nieces and nephews and it was not something out of the ordinary.

 

Levi blinked and lifted his hands in anticipation, and Hange took them and wrapped them in her sweater. She stood before him, and stretched her sweater to cover his hands.

 

“Thanks for tonight Levi, I wish I had asked you to dinner earlier. We could have a great time other than me constantly harassing you at the cafe,” Hange said.

 

“There’s plenty of time, or are you leaving town Hange?” Levi asked frowning. He had heard these words before, and had somehow anticipated it. Still he was surprised, she always told him whenever there’s something big happening in her life.

 

“I am leaving town, my lab has secured a grant. So I am going to Rosewood to help with their research and also continue my work. I’ll be visiting home whenever I can because i am still attached to the Uni here,” Hange exclaimed.

 

Levi felt those word tear his heart out. Another one leaving him?

 

“It’ll be for a few years, and I think i am going to end up with no boyfriend, or girlfriend, seeing that my work is much more glorious than my social life,” Hange said as she rubbed Levi’s hands for warmth.

 

Levi stayed silent but Hange didn’t notice. She was too wrapped in her own separation anxiety, “Ah, your hands are warmer. Wait, I think I have a scarf you can wrap your hands with.”

 

Hange let go of Levi’s hands and looked over her friend’s coat and noticed, “Oh you don’t have pockets no wonder your hands were cold.”    
  
She digged her bag for the scarf and when she found it, she wrapped Levi’s hands with it.

 

Levi finally found his tongue, “When are you leaving?”

 

“Today is the 15th right?” she tilted her head trying to remember the dates. “I’ll leave on 9th May which is four weeks from now.”

 

She waited for his response but he barely moved. She thought it was probably because he was counting in his head.

 

“I’ve paid everything I owed you, right?” Hange asked. Levi’s face was grey under the night sky, still emotionless. “I am sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner. I thought treating you to dinner would balance things somehow,” Hange said with a bittersweet smile.

 

“I’m just surprised.” Levi knew he was going to be ok, he had to be ok. And Hange was not leaving tonight or tomorrow. He got to see her tomorrow and in the next four weeks. Everyone who left him, he often wondered about them, he knew he missed them, but he turned ok long after they left. He will appreciate Hange before she leave town. Maybe treat her to some of his home cooking.

 

“This weekend, are you free?” Levi asked. 

 

“Why?” Hange asked.

 

“I want to cook for you. You never get to eat my famous  _ sambal _ , I learned from Erwin, it’s a Malaysian dish. I will make it less spicy for you, if you don’t eat spicy.”

 

“You’re inviting me to a dinner?” Hange asked surprised. So Levi was no angry at her leaving and now he was inviting her to his, home?

 

“At my apartment, a few floors up from the cafe,  I’ll text the address.” Levi invited.

 

“Oh didn’t know you moved there.”

 

“You have been busy, you missed a lot of things.”

 

“Okay, I’ll come. But make it spicy ok, I have eaten  _ sambal _ before. My Asian colleague often bring some to the lab during potlucks.”

 

“As you wish,” Levi said nodding. He then looked away and exhaled. His nose was getting stuffy, he realized that he was going to catch a cold since Mikasa caught one yesterday. It didn't help that Mikasa didn’t take the day off and came to work this morning.

 

“Levi, you're sniffling. You're catching a cold. Let’s walk a little quicker and I’ll call you a cab home.”

 

Levi nodded and walked step by step alongside Hange.

 

* * *

 

 

That night Levi couldn’t sleep, not because of his stuffy nose, but thoughts about Hange kept him awake. He had never done this, thought about someone who was going to leave him. What will his life be without Hange?

 

First of all his cafe would have an empty seat that would usually be occupied by a certain noisy scientist. Her friends, who were also his friends, he wondered if they would continue to frequent his cafe when Hange was no longer here. He could accept that they might not visit as often as now.

 

Secondly, there will be no lengthy rant about scientific discoveries or random facts thrown his way, most mornings. Levi loved watching documentaries and he loved facts, and this would surely be one of the things he missed. Hange will return in a few years, but he doubt things would be like now. Hange might have her own tea lady by then, so there's no need to do her work away from office.

 

Thirdly, he will lose a friend. Was Hange even just a friend to him? Hange was like a companion he never asked for. One he was glad to keep though. He remembered that one time she was late to her own surprise birthday party and when she arrived she was damn dirty. Hange had told everyone to go home saying that she was not ready and maybe postpone it? Levi knew that she was actually on leave that day, but still went to work. He didn't care that she was late, but he cared that she was dirty and carelessly telling everyone to go home. Out of rage he dragged her to her bathtub and dumped her into the bath. He went on to wash her hair until he deemed it clean. Levi left her soaked wet to the skin, and made her attend the party even as she snored happily being surrounded by him, Nanaba and the rest.

 

Hange was problematic, she made him laugh, made him cry a few times a year, made him feel like a proud father sometimes as she goes through thick and thin with her work for science, celebrating her work milestones with everyone at the cafe. Once he also basically fed her for a week when she had her wallet stolen and someone misused her debit card, and a month's salary was stolen. She paid him back in installments, though he never asked for her to pay back. To him, he was just being a friend in need and she owed him nothing.

 

He will miss her body warmth when she bent over him, her touchy feely hands grabbing him when they're at parties and playing stupid games. Sometimes Levi wondered when had they become so comfortable with each other. He knew that Hange was like that with other people people too. Once, he even saw her hug an obnoxious flat earth protester in front of his cafe. Hange tried to convince the guy that their beliefs were wrong and offered a peace hug. But he knew there had to be something behind Hange's closeness with him. Maybe she wasn't looking for a relationship right now, especially when her work was at its peak. 

 

Now she was leaving. He did not feel good about that part. This was the first time someone was about to leave him alone and it annoyed the heck out of him. Still, he can't stop her from living her life and reaching her potential. However, he was not going to just accept her departure, like he accepted the other important people in his life when they choose to leave. He knew he had to do something. 

 

It wouldn't hurt to ask her, the worst to happen was that they'll laugh and cry and be back to being friends. He had loved her as his friend and will continue to do so.

  
  


* * *

 

Dinner started with Hange and her index finger burnt. She had dipped her finger in the boiling paste to taste it before Levi could shoo her away.

 

“It’s hot dammit, you’re so troublesome,” Levi said as he handed her a plaster.

 

“You’re going to miss me so much when I’m no longer in town,” Hange said as she seated herself at the table while plastering her injured finger. Levi took the bowl of  sambal tomato to the table, and scooped the sambal _(chili paste)_ along with the prawns he had used to flavour the sambal onto her plate.

 

“It smells deliiiicious!” Hange exclaimed.

 

“Who will make sure you don't hurt yourself  over in Rosewood, force you to shower, make sure you eat, if your scattered brain forgot about them all?” Levi asked as he ladled the  _ sambal _ for his own plate.

 

“I dunno, there are other people there. I’m sure someone is bound to look after me.” Hange gave him a sheepish grin. 

 

She clasped her hands together at the sight of the food on her plate. “It looks good.”

 

“It will taste good, now let’s eat.”

 

……...

  
  


With a full tummy, they ended the night with hot tea which Hange brought over, she was sure it was not available in Levi's cafe. Levi invited Hange to sit at his balcony which overlooked the city. His apartment was on the thirteenth floor.    
  
“This isn’t a few floors above the cafe, this is hundreds floor above.” She looked down the building but shrugged soon after. “But the view is nice.” Hange praised.

 

_ This should not hurt at all,  _ Hange told herself.  _ The least he would do is reject me and life continues, as usual,  _ she reasoned.  _ And I’ll be bringing my broken heart to Rosewood and survive, _ she hypothesised glumly.

 

Hange looked over at Levi and determinedly begin, “Much have happened in my life of which I can’t control. And this is one of the things I am scared of, and I don’t want to let go of this moment, though this is the first time I’m sitting here looking at you and speaking this intimately. Would you want to be more than friends with me? I know I am going away but I don’t want to lose you, I hoped that there’s something that you felt for me, more than a friend, somehow.”

 

Levi held on to his cup and his expression froze. He didn't see this coming. Ok maybe he did, after the things he went over last night and now… well, Hange as always was steps advanced than him in the socializing department. 

 

He stood and walked out of the balcony and into his room. 

 

“...vi, you have an upset stomach, constipation or something? The chili's fine right?” Hange called after him.

 

Hange watched him get inside and stared confusingly at the black hair disappearing behind the sliding glass doors.

 

She smiled bitterly and sighed, “he isn't taking this very good.”

 

Levi appeared again and gave Hange a  gift bag. “since I think you're heading towards something tonight, I might as well give you this now.”

 

“What is it?” Hange asked.

 

“It's supposed to be a farewell gift, but now it's a dating gift. Would you like to date me?” Levi asked.

 

“Hange Zoe, would you like to date me?”

 

“Sure… Yes, Levi Ackerman. I mean YES!”

 

Levi hugged her for the first time. 

 

“I like you Levi, a lot.” Hange said. Her words muffled in his chest. 

 

_ Maybe I'll love you one fine day and though we are separated physically, I hope to have you in my heart,  _ Levi replied in his mind.

 

Hange looked up to him and asked, “so does this count as the first date?”

 

Levi squished her face back into his chest and pinched her cheek. “Whatever you want it to be.”


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uncle Kenny is dead, and guess what he left Levi.

A maid opened the door to Kenny's office and ushered Levi and Hange in. Hange wrapped her arm around Levi's waist as tight as she could. The maid side eyed them but did not say anything. After they entered the maid closed the door behind them without words. Hange looked behind them questioningly at the door and turned around to beam at Levi.

“Your uncle is a book worm it seems, the Mr. Akkaman of Rosewood Ville? No wonder the surname sounded eerily familiar,” Hange marveled. “How could I never realised that Akkaman sounded so similar to Ackerman, my boyfriend’s surname. I’ll never get over this.”

Hange looked at the rows of books and felt like she’s in in heaven. She marvelled at the books surrounding them, and also at the fact that Rosewood's notorious rich man was Levi's late uncle. She was amused to know that Levi's last living relative only lived a few miles away from her university. 

As for Levi, he didn’t even know that Kenny was his late uncle until a month ago. Last month, Hange went along with Levi to Kenny's will reading. The lawyer revealed that Kenny had became rich in the last decade but he also owed people a lot. Thus, what he didn't owe people were taken away, and the rest were bequeathed to Levi. So Levi became the owner of a mansion on an estate the size of a soccer field, with a collection of books he wasn't sure what to do with. 

Eversince Levi dated Hange almost a year ago, he visited Rosewood a few times but had no inking that Kenny was nearby. He thought it was absurd at how things were as Kenny was his maternal uncle all along. But as Kenny had created a distance between him and Levi, it seems like a waste of energy to be so bitter about his dead uncle. 

Of course Levi felt a little lost with the knowledge that Kenny was related to him. The person who told Levi that he was not a worthy man to be anyone’s father, was his maternal uncle all along. An uncle who changed the spelling of his surname to Akkaman to escape detection possibly. Maybe Kenny was running from his previous employee, Levi thought. He knew nothing about Kenny. Now, Levi kind of regretted not searching for his… uncle.

Levi sighed at the large library. He was told that the mansion and the library were all paid for until the end of the year. But he'll have to think of something about the future livelihood of the staff currently working there. Maybe Levi could turn the mansion into a restaurant or hotel or something. Maybe he could move here and promote Jean as Cafe Manager over back home.

But right now he really should be getting to the things he knew Hange would love. Hange was a notorious bookworm, she would definitely appreciate what he was about to show her.

“You want to see something?” Levi asked. 

“What?” Hange looked at him eagerly.

It was not explicitly mentioned in Kenny's wills so Hange was still in the dark, but he was sure Hange would get a kick out of it.

“I want to show you something. Come on,” he urged as he walked towards a bookshelf which was leaning against a wall. 

“Those are books?” Hange asked as Levi gestured to a row of books.  
“Pick one.”

Hange looked confusingly at the leather bound books. “Ok,” she said. To her they looked like old fashioned Encyclopedias, the books you use for reference before the existence of Wikipedia - or the wide usage of Internet. Hange chose a book from the middle and took it out from the row. 

“Now, open it and read one of the pages.” Levi smiled mischievously while looking at Hange.

 

Hange did as demanded and read, “The warmth of her feet sliding against my legs sent shivers down my spine. Her moans, her soft breaths anchored my thoughts on what was about to come. Her supple chests rubbing against mine, I could feel the difference in texture and in shapes. Now we only need to shed our earthly wares and be unified like how humans have been for each other… of skins, of fluidity of movement, of connection. ”

Now that she realized what she was reading, Hange pushed the book she read at Levi's chest so he would take it and took the next book. She flipped the pages and began reading “Angel didn’t care if her wings and status was taken, all she cared was that her body belonged to the human. He gifted her the lights of day, given her what she craved most since the curse touches her her. She could never forgot the touch of his skin on hers, the emptiness which he filled inside her. He had made her moan for the first time in a thousand years, the moans which had filled the air and demolish the coldness from her heart. He was her heaven, so if her wings were taken now she would be unhappy but not for long. She would wallow in self pity, but endless nights of being stretched and filled by his throbbing…”

“What are these?” Hange laughed. It sounded amateur, but who was she to question the writer when she never wrote a word of fiction, or porn. 

“Angel’s beloved throbbing p….” she cried.

Levi took the book from me and closed it. He placed the books back into its place.

“This is part of what Kenny left me. These are his classics the ones making money when he retired from crime. His recent writings are more sophisticated, but the ones you read were the safer ones. Do you want to read the really x-rated ones?”

Hange kissed him on the lips and released with a pop. Levi looked adoringly at her, his emotions all of love.

“No, I came here to meet your family, or at least their house” Hange said. She knew Levi might feel overwhelmed right now so maybe she'll asks about the house later. 

Levi pulled Hange away from the bookshelf and wrapped his arms around Hange's waist, “You are my family now.”

Hange blushed, “Didn't realize I dated a notorious man's nephew. You know Levi, those novels kind of got me horny.”

Levi just smiled meaningfully as he nuzzled Hange's neck.

“Do you want to use the rooms upstairs or do you want to come home with me?” Hange asked.

“This house is unfamiliar to me, I prefer your messy crib.”

“Sure talk bad about it, you like cleaning it!” Hange wailed as Levi's fingers slipped into her pants. 

“That's because you have all the cleaning supplies but never use it, and new cleaning supplies always makes me happy.”

“Let's go.”

“I miss you Hange Zoe.”

“I miss you too, Levi my love.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is written for my zekeret levihan eggschange person. I shall not name the person until next week because tis a secret.


End file.
